Poetry and food?   Think about it.  They are both guilty pleasures, so it stands to reason that they should definitely be in the same sentence.   As I was doing my ponderings today, I thought what fun it would be to imagine these two together.  So…first I did a list kind of poem of what would ‘color my palette” of food poetry.

Spicy Mexican food

thrills the tongue

lingering, but not sabotaging

teases enough to pant for another bite.

 

Icrecream

Creamy cold silk for ANY day.

soothes the throat

delights the taste buds

It’s very essence can shoot me back

to childhood

 

Big Red crème soda

Bubble gum delight

Fizzles and drizzles

Down my throat

For hot Texas days.

……MORE TO COME.    It’s just the beginning!

 

And coffee…my magical treat for any day of the week gets its very own poetry style, An Ode

Oh coffee, of coffee

you’re wonderful stuff,

coffee oh coffee  you

are wonderful stuff

you sooth me, move me, groove me.

Coffee snuggles with me and wraps its smooth brown blanket all around me, never wanting me to be cold.  He’s a warm invitation and a smooooooth conversation.  I can be myself with him.  With him by my side, what else could I want?

(I realize it needs some work…but I’m putting it out there to let you know as Anne Lamott says, it’s okay to write the worst crap…it grows a great garden!  The fact is…I’m writing!  And you can too!)

 

WRITING PROMPT:  What food would you write an Ode to?   I can’t wait to read what you write!

Here is what an Ode is:   The word ode derives from the Greek word meaning poem intended to be sung – in essence, singing praise.  Odes use exaggerated language, taken to the extreme.

What ODES do to assist a Writer:   Because Odes use extreme language, it allows a writer to overexaggerate and take things over the top…in other words, “LET GO.”   Those who have trouble with their Inner Critic being too critical or get stifled in their writing can use an Ode to get out of the rut.   It’s meant to be outrageous, even gaudy…and causes humor.  Don’t we all need a chance to not take ourselves so seriously?

EXAMPLES : Pablo Neruda wrote odes to his socks, odes to lemons, odes to broken things and many more.   Here is one of my favorites and it’s about food!  ODE TO AN ONION.     You’ll enjoy another food one by Barbara Crooker as well: Ode to Chocolate, especially the personification at the end of it.   John Keats has a popular one called Ode to a Grecian Urn.

Happy writing friends!